Behavior change towards sustainable lifestyles such as adoption of renewable energy technologies is a significant element in the fight against anthropogenic climate change. Increasingly, private households can be observed to take up different renewable energy technologies; however, the introduction of these technologies is not accompanied by a broader adoption of pro-environmental behaviors, as recent studies have shown. At the same time, group settings and social capital seem to promote the uptake of wide-ranging sustainability measures. Six case studies were conducted among different sustainable community projects in Germany to shed light on why and how broad sustainability transformation in such settings comes about. Findings suggest that successful implementation of wide-ranging sustainable measures and changes in behaviors in community settings result from motivations that originate from an interplay of social needs, social capital, social norms, and environmental concern. Strong environmental attitudes, not among all, but a critical mass of members and key individuals are necessary. The desire for community and other motives, along with social influence and social norms push individuals with low environmental concern to participate in sustainable endeavors.

向可持续生活方式的行为改变，例如采用可再生能源技术，是对抗人为气候变化的一个重要因素。可以观察到越来越多的私人家庭采用不同的可再生能源技术；然而，正如最近的研究表明的那样，这些技术的引入并没有伴随着更广泛地采用环保行为。与此同时，群体环境和社会资本似乎促进了广泛的可持续性措施的采用。在德国不同的可持续社区项目中进行了六个案例研究，以阐明为什么以及如何在此类环境中进行广泛的可持续转型。研究结果表明，在社区环境中成功实施广泛的可持续措施和改变行为源于社会需求、社会资本、社会规范和环境问题相互作用的动机。强烈的环境态度，不是全部，但关键的成员和关键个人是必要的。对社区和其他动机的渴望，以及社会影响和社会规范，促使环境关注度较低的个人参与可持续发展。